Quick Release Medical Gown

ABSTRACT

A quick release medical gown, which is formed with a pull cord on the front shoulder of gown, attached at one end to the outside of the gown, and run through the collar, where it is attached at the neckline closure on the gown. the gown closure is a quick release fastener, such as snaps or a hook-and-loop closure. The device is designed so that the cord on the front of the gown may be pulled, unfastening the neckline closure, and allowing the wearer to remove the gown with little to no need for assistance, or reaching behind themselves. This design allows for decreased risk of contamination for the wearer, and allows them increased independence in donning and doffing their gown.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a gown, such as a medical gown, which has snaps on the neck, an open back, and a secured belt tie with loops that prevent the belt from becoming contaminated by touching the ground, and allows the wearer to easily close the gown without having to reach around the back or receive assistance of another person.

The gown also incorporates a quick release strap through the collar, attached to the shoulder, in which the wearer can quickly and easily release the neck of the gown without causing strain, stretching or potential contamination issues.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Medical gowns, have long been considered personal protection for the wearer. This includes medical staff, patients, health care workers, and more. Many gowns are built with an open back, allowing the wearer to enter the gown from the back, and has straps to tie the back of a gown closed behind the wearer's neck. Some gowns have waist ties that can be tied to secure the gown to the body.

Prior gown designs require manipulation by the person wearing the gown to reach behind their back or by their neck to untie or release the back attachment of the gown. These manipulations are time-consuming and can be difficult or painful, particularly for persons having back, neck, shoulder injuries or issues, as well it can put the wearer at risk of contamination upon removal.

Therefore, there is a need for a quick and simple gown design that allows the patient or healthcare professional or worker to safely remove the gown without reaching behind their neck and back. Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of a gown having a pull cord at the shoulder which can be easily grasped by the person wearing the gown, and assists in removing the gown without contamination or strain.

Another objective of the present invention the provision of a gown having a neck closure that is temporarily and releasably secured near the neck portion of the gown using snaps that can be easily released by the wearer pulling the release cord.

A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a medical gown having a secured belt with belt loops that prevent the gown belt from touching the ground and allow for the wearer to easily reach and tie the belt on the front or side, without reaching behind the back.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a gown which may be used for medical or other purposes. The gown features an open back, closed front, sleeves, and a neck opening. The large vertical back opening allows the wearer to enter the gown from behind and extend their arms through the sleeves and neck into the neck opening, easily donning the gown without the assistance of another.

The sleeves include performance level wrist guards with thumb holes that allow for secure closure around this opening of the gown, as well as the ability for the wearer to stretch and have full range of motion and a comfortable secure wrist protection. An extended belt tie is affixed on the side of the gown, and enters through loops affixed to the front waist area and back outer flap mid-section. The loops securing the tie prevent it from touching the ground and present the free ends of the tie on the sides of the waist of the wearer, allowing for easy grasp without reaching or contorting. The belt can then be tied in front of or on the side of the wearer to fully secure the gown and provide full closure on the front and back of the gown. The loop on the back outer flap of the gown allows for a vertical back opening and a secured loop to keep the belt in place during launder.

The neck area of the gown is affixed with snaps on the neck line, which is connected to an easy to grasp cord that allows for the wearer to quickly and easily remove the gown by pulling the cord in one swift motion. When removing the gown, the belt tie will be untied, allowing for the back of the gown to again be a vertical opening. The release cord on the front of the garment will be pulled, which unsnaps the closure on the neck opening, and opens the neck and vertical back opening together. Further pulling the cord forward, the gown can be pulled off to the front of the wearer, without the need for assistance or for reaching behind the neck to remove the gown, thereby reducing the risk of contamination by keeping the soiled hand away from the neckline.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 : Drawing of the front and back of the gown, showing all features of the garment.

FIG. 2 : Close up drawing of the pull cord mechanism on the back portion of the gown, where it enters and exists button holes on the collar of the gown, and its proximity and relation to snaps in the collar of the gown.

FIG. 3 : Close up drawing of the pull cord mechanism on the front portion of the gown, which shows where the pull cord enters and exits the collar, as well as the attachment of the opposite end of the pull cord to the shoulder seam on the front portion of the gown.

FIG. 4 : Photograph showing front portion of the gown and a close up of pull cord, as well as the snaps located in the collar of the back portion of the gown.

FIG. 5 : Photograph sowing detail of wrist guards with thumb holes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The gown shown in FIG. 1 includes a front portion 12 and a back portion 13 with a back opening 14, as well as an opening for the head and neck 15. The gown has sleeves 16 through which a person's arms extend when the gown is worn. The portion of the sleeve that meets the wrist include wrist guards 4 with thumb holes for added comfort and security. A clearer image of the wrist guard with thumb holes can be seen in FIG. 5 , designed to be worn under overlapping gloves for comfort for the wearer and security of the gown sleeves during patient interaction. The front and back portions 12, 13 define a neck opening 15 which is separated from the back opening with quick-release snaps 5 which are undone by pulling the release cord 1 on the front left of the gown. The back portion of each gown 13 has opposite left hand and right-hand edges 9, 17 defining the back opening 14. The belt 10 is to be tied around the wearer, which overlaps the back left and right-hand edges 9,17 and closes the back of the gown when wearing for full coverage. The belt is secured to the gown 3, and affixed into place with front and back belt loops 2, 8 that prevent the belt from touching or dragging on the ground and present the free ends of the belt to the wearer in accessible locations for tying together during use.

The present invention is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , and is directed toward the release cord 6 which allows the person to remove the gown. More particularly, snaps 5 are attached to the collar of the gown 7 on the left-hand edge of the back portion of the garment 8, as well as a cord that runs through the collar of the garment. The cord 6 is attached to the back portion of the gown 1 where the snaps are positioned 5, between the neck opening and the vertical back opening 14, and along the left-hand edge of the back portion of the gown 8. The cord then enters the collar of the gown through a button hole 2 on the back portion of the left shoulder. Inside the collar 7, the cord runs over the top of the left-hand shoulder 10 and exists through a button hole on the front portion of the gown 3. The other end of this cord is attached to the left-hand shoulder seam 4 to prevent it from hanging and to create a handle for pulling when doffing the gown. While the drawings show that each end of the pull cord may be attached to the left hand shoulder on the front portion of the gown 4 and left hand edge of the back portion of the gown 1, it is understood that the strap may be fixed to the right edge of the gown and right hand shoulder, with mirror-image use. In this case, the snaps would also be attached to the right-hand edge of the gown's collar so that the function of the cord would not change. FIG. 4 shows the front portion of gown and relative locations of pull cord, button hole for pull cord on the collar of the gown, as well as the ideal location for the free ends of the belt to be tied for convenience when donning and doffing.

In use, in FIG. 1 , the gown is to be placed on a person on the front, by opening the back portion 14 and extending the arms through the sleeves 16 and neck through the neck hole 15. The person wearing the gown can grasp the free end of the belt 10 on the back portion of the gown secured in place with the back belt loop 8 and bring it around their waist to meet the free end of the belt on the front portion of the gown, which is secured with the front belt loop 2 and tied around the waist. Once the person wearing the gown is ready to remove it, they will untie the belt 10 and let the free ends of the belt hang. The front and back belt loops 2, 8 prevent the belt from dragging on the ground. The person wearing the gown would then grasp the pull cord 1 and pull it down and forward, away from their body. The pull cord 1 will create tension on the snaps 5, causing them to release. With the snaps release, the back and neck openings 14, 15 are no longer secured to the person's neck, and the person is free to slide their arms out of the sleeves 16. By releasing the gown this way, risk of contamination due to pulling the gown over his or her head or having assistance in removing it is reduced, allowing for the gown to be laundered for reuse.

The invention has been shown and described above with the preferred embodiments, and it is understood that many modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives. 

1. A medical gown device for protecting the wearer comprising: a pull cord attached to the seam of the device on one end, and to the neckline of the garment on the other end, a quick release fastener such as snaps or hook-and-loop closure, characterized in that, the closure on the neckline is undone by the pulling of the pull cord. 